Baseball was introduced in the 1880s by Albert Addlesberg, an American businessman living in Bluefields.[4] During this time, the area around Bluefields was known as the autonomous Mosquito Reserve and a strong British influence in the area was evidenced by the popularity of cricket. Addlesberg convinced two of the most popular cricket clubs to switch to baseball and supplied the locals with equipment he imported from New Orleans.[4] Two teams were created in 1887, the Southern and Four Roses.[3][4] They began to play in 1888 and baseball has been played on the Mosquito Coast almost continuously since that time, but the entire region has long since been incorporated into the Republic of Nicaragua. The first 'official' game took place in 1891 between Managua and Granada.[3][4]Carter Donaldson, who was the U.S. Consul in Nicaragua at the time, founded the first continuous team in 1904.[4]United States Marines stationed in Nicaragua in the early part of the 20th century were also credited for bringing the sport to the country, and popularizing it in the area.[2][3][5]

Professional baseball came to an end in Nicaragua in 1967, after years of political and economic problems.[1] In the 1970s, however, baseball again became popular after the success of the Nicaragua national baseball team.[1]

"After all, to say Nicaraguans are baseball-crazy seems ludicrously inadequate. The game is part of the air people breathe; the crack of the bat permeates hot, tropical nights; it moves up from the barrios; the game even peppers the language with borrowed English expressions, like 'play ball,' and 'home run,' used in a colloquial sense."

In the 1980s, popularity of baseball in the country began to decline.[7] After the Nicaraguan civil war, baseball began to flourish again.[8] The policy of Nicaraguan professional baseball before the 1990s was to discourage the recruitment of Nicaraguan players by Major League Baseball scouts.[7] On August 6, 1990, the San Francisco Giants signed two players from Nicaragua, and considered building a baseball academy in a move that was seen as a step to normalizing the relationship between Nicaragua and Major League Baseball.[9] During the 1996 Nicaraguan presidential election, candidates, Arnoldo Alemán, and Daniel Ortega, promised increased funding for the Nicaraguan national baseball team.[6]

Fourteen players born in Nicaragua have competed in Major League Baseball.[12] Currently, Everth Cabrera, Erasmo Ramirez, and Cheslor Cuthbert are the only three active Nicaraguan players in Major League Baseball. A fourth Nicaraguan, J. C. Ramírez, has pitched in Major League Baseball but is not currently on a major league roster.